Unforgettable
by LoveLifeRead
Summary: She couldn't believe that everyone was acting like it was just another day. Sam's heartbreak can only be fixed by one person - her best friend. One Shot
The chilled October breeze danced across Jake's leathered skin as he hauled the old worn saddle towards the barn. He didn't bother flicking on the light as he moved easily into the blackness that he knew like the back of his hand. He had been in this barn in every stage of light too many times to count, he placed the saddle on the rack in the tack room and breathed in the comforting smell of saddle soap and horse that hung in the air.

Strolling back out of the barn, he took a minute to look around at the ranch around him. It wasn't too common for him to experience River Bend Ranch at night anymore. His own home was never this peaceful. As a kid, he had spent almost his whole summer sleeping in one of the stalls in this barn. He glanced around the ranch yard taking it all in when something in the distance caught his eye.

Jake couldn't help the grin that threatened his face as he strolled towards the shadowy figure sitting near La Charla River. The grin dropped immediately upon hearing sniffling. Slowing his pace and rubbing the back of his neck, Jake surged forward against every instinct that he had.

"Hey Brat." He greeted, testing the waters. He had gotten close enough now to see that Sam was leaning against a large rock that had three slices of chocolate cake plated and resting on top of it. Her knees were hugged against her chest and the tears that he saw in her eyes broke his heart.

"Hi. It's okay, Jake. We don't have to do this. I'm fine, it's just been a rough day." Samantha Forester replied, wiping the tears that had spilled over with her open palm, trying to let her best friend off the hook. Tears had always made Jake uncomfortable. _If there ain't blood…_ Sam remembered wryly.

Jake paused in front of her. He rubbed his neck again, a dead giveaway about his comfort levels at the moment. He knew that he could take the out she had offered, but this was Sam. He had never liked seeing her cry.

Making up his mind, Jake lowered himself to the ground so that he was leaned against the rock as well. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for the conversation ahead. "What's wrong?"

Sam was looking down at her bare feet. She dug her toes into the damp dirt that lined the familiar river, trying to warm them. _Where to even start?_ Sam scoffed, knowing the whole day was doomed right from the start. "How long do you have?" she attempted to joke.

"As long as you need me." Jake's reply made Sam finally meet his gaze again. She looked deep into those mustang eyes that had comforted her so many times before.

"It's dumb," she warned.

"I have no doubt," Jake teased, knocking his leg against her own to loosen her up.

Looking back down at her feet, Sam whispered, "It's my mom's birthday today."

All of the air left Jake's lungs as he processed her words. "Brat," he breathed out, reaching to place his hand on her knee.

"Yeah."

Silence hung between the two friends as they both stared at the flowing water of the river. They sat there each lost in their own thoughts of Louise Forster. Ten minutes passed before Sam spoke again, startling the boy who had scooted closer to her, hand still resting on her knee.

"It's dumb, because she died seven years ago. She's been gone longer than she was in my life," she choked out, the tears resuming their path down her face.

"That is not dumb, Sam." Jake's quiet yet forceful voice assured.

"It is," Sam insisted shaking her head. "It is dumb. I'm not sad because today is my dead mother's birthday. Usually, this is one of my favorite days of the year," she confessed, noticing the confused look on her best friend's face. Inhaling the crisp fall air Sam launched into her explanation.

"Every year on my mom's birthday, she would let me stay home from school. We'd sleep in, wake up to a wonderful brunch that Gram had made, and then went on a trail ride on my mom's favorite trail."

"The one that overlooks the ranch." Jake supplied, nodding his head.

"Yeah. After that, mom and I would spend the afternoon baking her famous chocolate cake from scratch. We would get dressed up and look fancy for dinner, which was always lasagna, which is my mom's favorite. After dinner, Mom, Dad, Gram, and I would all sit here at the river and watch the sun set eating the chocolate cake. Some of my best memories of my mom are from her birthday."

"Well that makes sense," Jake granted.

"After my mom died, I didn't know how to handle her birthday. I dreaded it. That day, though, I woke up to see that my alarm had been turned off. I walked down the stairs and Dad and Gram were sitting at the table, getting ready to eat brunch. We spent the day exactly as my mom always wanted us to. That was the first time since she had died that my dad even mentioned her name, let alone told me stories about her. After that, it became tradition for the three of us to spend the day together remembering mom."

"That sounds really nice."

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for another five minutes before Jake broke it again.

"Why was today so different from every year before?"

Sam scoffed again, looking bitterly at the river. "Brynna," was her only response.

Jake shifted uncomfortably. He was not the type to go digging into someone else's business, but it seemed that Sam wanted this dragged out of her. "I thought that you guys were getting along pretty well."

"Oh, we were… are… ugh, I don't know." After a pause she continued. "No, it wasn't her fault. Last night I didn't bother to set my alarm. I woke up and saw that Dad was eating cereal. It was later than he would usually be eating breakfast, but there was no sign of the brunch we usually had. He seemed surprised to see me there. When he asked me why I wasn't at school I almost cried. He made me get dressed and drove me to school. I was so mad. When I got home, I found out that Gram had gone to Mrs. Allen's house this afternoon, so I started on the chocolate cake by myself. Before dinner, Brynna came downstairs looking really nice, and I felt really touched. I was glad to share this tradition with her, she was respecting my mother's memory. It turns out, Dad was just taking her on a date in town." The bitterness faded, leaving only the heartbreak in its place. "They forgot."

Jake didn't know what to say. He could never imagine forgetting Aunt Louise, and couldn't believe Wyatt did. "Brat, I'm so sorry."

Sam gave a teary laugh. "The most ironic thing in the world is that the one person who actually remembered my mom's birthday is the person who is forgetting the most about her."

"Aw, Sam, you can't be so hard on yourself. You were so little when she passed…"

"No, Jake. This is my mother. When I was growing up, I used to play in the barn and pretend that the noise I heard in the rafters was my mom looking down on me, not birds. I used to imagine what she would say to me. I sat in there today and I couldn't imagine it. I've forgotten what her voice sounds like."

This time, Jake knew there was nothing he could say to that. Instead of replying, he scooted closer to her and threw his arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. They sat like that as he felt Sam relax against him.

"Jake. It's only been seven years since she died. What's going to happen when it's been ten? Fifteen? What am I going to remember about her when my own kids ask about her?" Sam was crying again. "She is too important to forget, but I've already started to. And Dad and Gram? They had even longer with her, and they've forgotten her birthday!" she was borderline hysterical.

"Shh, Brat, it's going to be okay." Jake said into her hair. He hugged her close and let her cry herself out, whispering nonsensical words of comfort to her. When it looked like Sam had calmed down some, she started wiping her face.

"I'm sorry that it's been such a rough day," Jake whispered, squeezing her closer for a second before relinquishing his hold on her all together. Turning to look her straight in the eye he said, "I can't even imagine what you're going through. I don't know what I would have done if my mom wasn't there when I hurt my leg in that storm. It's terrible that you don't remember some things about your mom. But Aunt Louise is unforgettable. When your kids ask about her, you'll be able to tell them that you have her eyes. And her smile. And her huge heart. There is no way that you could ever forget your mom, you are the person that she raised you to be."

Sam kept eye contact with him a beat longer, before shifting her gaze to the rock that they had been leaning on. A small smile turned the corners of her lips up. Following her gaze, Jake sat up even straighter. "Is this the famous chocolate cake that I've heard so much about?" he asked, gesturing toward the cake resting on the rock behind them.

"Yeah, do you want some? I brought it out in case Dad and Gram came back, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen." Sam shifted so they could each grab a slice.

"Mmmmmm" Jake hummed around his fork. "I have to say, Brat, this is probably the best cake I've ever tasted, chocolate or otherwise."

Sam blushed at the compliment, digging into her own slice. "It's my mom's secret recipe. It's probably the only thing that I can currently make on my own."

"What's your favorite memory of your mom?" Jake asked.

Sam had never been more grateful for her friend than in that moment. He braved an emotional breakdown to comfort her, and made her feel better. He was never one to give a long speech, but he did for her. The two friends spent the next few hours sitting at the river bank, exchanging memories of Louise. Sam remembered the time her mom had woken her up wearing a trash bag over her clothes. She pulled Sam out of bed and together, they finger painted the whole side of the barn. It had needed a second coat after, but they had written their names, leaving their mark on it forever.

Jake recalled the first time that he met Sam, at the hospital when she was born. He was only three years old, so he didn't remember everything, but he remembered Aunt Louise smiling at him saying, "Jake, this is the most precious thing you will ever hold," before settling the newborn Sam onto the pillow on his lap, his arms wrapping around her tiny body.

"She loved you more than anything, Brat."

"She was the best person I've ever known," Sam sighed.

Just as Jake was about to argue that that wasn't necessarily true for him, they were startled by the sound of tires heading this way down the road.

"I think I'm going to head to bed before they get here," Sam told him. "I'm kind of angry at them for forgetting so easily. It'll be better to just talk to them in the morning."

"Alright."

Standing up, they gathered the plates and made their way toward the house. By this time, the car was coming over the bridge. Jake handed her his plate and turned towards his own car when a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Thank you. For listening."

"Anytime, Brat." Jake paused before dipping to place a kiss on her forehead.

By the time Sam could breathe again, she was already upstairs in her bed. She didn't know how she had gotten so lucky, but she was so glad to have a friend like Jake Ely.


End file.
